Method for cleaning a computer mouse device

ABSTRACT

A computer mouse device cleaner uses a cleaning surface that has a diameter that is approximately the same as or larger than the diameter of a mouse ball. The cleaning surface is made of a hook material or an abrasive, absorbent material, and both materials can be used as two cleaning surfaces in a single device or kit. A curved ball cleaning surface made of an abrasive, absorbent material can also be included at an end of the handle of the cleaning device. In use, the cleaning surface is placed into the interior ball cavity of the mouse and rotated to cause the interior mouse rollers to roll. If a liquid cleaning solvent is applied to the hook material, it can be used to clean the mouse rollers and then removed by subsequent use of the abrasive, absorbent material.

This is a divisional application of U.S. patent application Ser. No.09/081,163 filed May 18, 1998.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is in the field of a computer mouse devicecleaner.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A computer mouse device is an accessory that is commonly used as acompanion to a computer keyboard. The mouse has a mouse ball that islocated in an interior ball cavity. The mouse ball is held looselyinside of the interior ball cavity by a removable cover that has anopening with a smaller diameter than the mouse and extends outwardlythrough the cover opening when the mouse is positioned ball side down.In use, movement of the mouse across a mouse pad or other flat surfacecauses the mouse ball to roll inside of the interior ball cavity,thereby causing mouse contact rollers inside of the mouse to roll. Themovement of the mouse contact rollers is then translated intoinstructions that ultimately cause a cursor on a connected computerscreen to move in response to movement of the mouse ball across themouse pad.

Over time, the mouse ball can become dirty, or even sticky. In addition,dust, hair and other contaminants can get inside of the mouse throughthe opening in the removable cover and stick on the mouse contactrollers or mechanical parts. When either of these things happen, theability of the mouse to properly function will be impaired, or the mousemay even cease functioning. To remedy such a situation, the mouse covermust be removed and the parts of the mouse must be cleaned.

At present, there is no inexpensive, easy way to clean a dirty mousedevice. If the cover is removed, the mouse ball can easily be removed.However, if the mouse ball or the inside of the mouse are not properlycleaned, the mouse may still not function properly even after it iscleaned. This can cause frustration by users, or even result indiscarding a dirty mouse in favor of a new, clean mouse.

One cleaning kit that is presently being sold for cleaning mouse devicesis called Mouse Doctor™ . This kit instructs its user to first removethe ball from the mouse device. Next, compressed air is sprayed into theinterior cavity to remove dust particles. Next, cleaning pads andcleaning swabs are used to wipe the mouse contact rollers clean and theball is replaced for operation. If the mouse contact rollers have aheavy build-up of grime, the user is instructed to saturate the swabwith isopropyl alcohol before scrubbing the rollers. However, thiscleaning kit is relatively expensive, and the cleaning process iscumbersome.

Accordingly, there is a need for an inexpensive, simple, easy to usecleaning kit that can be used to clean computer mouse devices andthereby increase their performance.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is generally directed to an improved computermouse device cleaner and a method for using the cleaner.

In a first, separate aspect of the present invention, a computer mousecleaner utilizes a handle with a cleaning surface attached to one end ofthe handle. The cleaning surface can be made of a hook material. Thecleaning surface can also be made of an abrasive, absorbent materialthat does not leave lint or a residue on any surface being cleaned. Thecleaning surface is sized so as to fit into the interior ball cavity ofthe mouse device such that rotation of the handle relative to one ormore interior mouse contact rollers will cause at least one interiormouse contact roller to roll and thereby be cleaned by the cleaningsurface. It is preferred that the cleaning surface has a diameter thatis approximately the same as or larger than the diameter of the mouseball. A compressible material can be located between the handle and thecleaning surface, and the cleaning surface can be detachable from thehandle.

In another, separate aspect of the present invention, a ball cleaningsurface made of an abrasive, absorbent material can be attached to theend of the handle. The ball cleaning surface should not leave lint or aresidue on the surface of the ball. The ball cleaning surface ispreferably curved or nested and shaped so as to provide a greater areaof contact between the ball and the ball cleaning surface than would bepossible if the ball cleaning surface was flat. A generallyhemispherical shape is especially preferred for the ball cleaningsurface.

In still another, separate aspect of the present invention, multiplecleaning functions can be combined in a single device or in a kit. Twocleaning surfaces can be combined on a single handle, and the ballcleaning surface can also be included at one end of the handle. When twocleaning surfaces are combined, one surface should be a hook materialwhereas the other surface should be an abrasive, absorbent material.Alternatively, the ball cleaning surfaces can be detachable.

In yet another, separate aspect of the present invention, severalmethods are provided for using a computer mouse cleaner or cleaning kitof the present invention. Once the computer mouse ball is removed fromthe interior ball cavity, the cleaning surface (either the hook materialor the abrasive, absorbent material) is inserted into the interior ballcavity and rotated so as to cause one or more of the mouse contactrollers to roll and thereby be cleaned by the cleaning surface. It isespecially preferred that the hook material be inserted into ballcavity, followed by the abrasive, absorbent material. Also, a cleaningsolvent can be placed on the hook material, and then an abrasive,absorbent material can be used to absorb the solvent from the mousecontact rollers. In addition, the ball can be cleaned by a curved ballcleaning surface made of an abrasive, absorbent material, and thenreinserted into the ball cavity.

Accordingly, it is primary object of the present invention to provide animproved computer mouse device cleaner and a method for cleaning thesame.

This and further objects and advantages will be apparent to thoseskilled in the art in connection with the drawings and the detaileddescription of the preferred embodiments set forth below.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a drawing of a preferred embodiment of a computer mouse devicecleaner made in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a representation of the use of the preferred embodiment shownin FIG. 1 with a generic computer mouse device viewed from itsunderneath side with its ball and ball cover removed.

FIG. 4 presentation of the use of the preferred embodiment shown in FIG.1 to clean a mouse ball.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

In the preferred embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. 1, acomputer mouse cleaner, generally designated as 1, has a handle 2, afirst cleaning surface 3 attached to a first end 5 of the handle 2, asecond cleaning surface 23 attached to a second end 25 of the handle 2,and a ball cleaning surface 26 attached to the second end 25 of thehandle 4. The handle 2 is sized and shaped so as to allow a person tohold the handle and rotate the mouse cleaner. As shown in FIG. 2, acompressible material 4 is located between the handle 2 and the firstcleaning surface 3 while a compressible material 24 is located betweenthe handle 2 and the second cleaning surface 23. The ball cleaningsurface 26 has a curved surface that is nested at the second end 25 ofthe handle 2; in other words, the cleaning surface extends beyond thesecond end 25 of the handle 2 such that the actual cleaning surface isgenerally in the shape of a bowl or a hemisphere that is attached to thehandle 4. Either or both of cleaning surfaces 3 and 23 can be detachablefrom the handle 2.

If the cleaning surfaces 3 and 23 are detachable, they can be includedin a kit. One simple and inexpensive way to manufacture a cleaner usingdetachable cleaning surfaces is to affix the cleaning surfaces on top ofa portion of the handle (not shown) that is then connected to a base ofthe handle by a snap fit, a friction fit or some other means ofconnection. Conceptually, this would be similar to applying the cleaningsurfaces to caps that could be snapped onto a highlighting marker orpen, for example. If a compressible material is to be used, thecompressible material could be affixed or laminated to the portion ofthe handle first, and then the cleaning surfaces could be affixed on topof the compressible material.

Although the preferred embodiment is shown as having the cleaningsurfaces 3 and 23 attached to a single handle 2, this is not required.Each could be attached to a single handle, either permanently ordetachably. Also, it is not required that the ball cleaning surface 26be attached to the second end 25 or be in contact with the secondcleaning surface 23. It too could be its own product or device, attachedto its own handle, either permanently or detachably.

The cleaning surfaces 3 and 23 should be sized so as to fit into aninterior ball cavity of a mouse device such that rotation of the handle2 relative to one or more interior mouse contact rollers 35 will causeat least one interior mouse contact roller to roll and thereby becleaned by the cleaning surface. The cleaning surfaces 3 and 23 can becylindrical, as shown in FIG. 1; alternatively, they could be in theshape of a ball, or a modified ball. It is preferred that the cleaningsurfaces have a diameter that is approximately equal to, or greaterthan, the diameter of the mouse ball. This allows the cleaning surfaces3 and 23 to approximate the movement of the mouse ball 32 within theinterior ball cavity 31 and its rolling action upon the rollers 35 andthereby clean the rollers 35 by a rolling action. It is especiallypreferred that multiple rollers 35 are cleaned by a rolling action atthe same.

In order to use the computer mouse device cleaner of the presentinvention, the computer mouse cover 33 with hole 34 on the underside ofthe mouse is removed and the mouse ball 32 is removed from the interiorball cavity 31. The first step of cleaning the inside of the mouse is toremove hair, lint and dust that may be attached to rollers 35 andmechanical parts inside of the mouse. This is done by inserting thefirst end 5 of the mouse cleaner 1 inside of the interior ball cavity 31and rotating it to collect the contaminants on the first cleaningsurface 3. The second step of cleaning the inside of the mouse is toremove residue from the rollers 35. This is done by inserting the secondend 25 of the mouse cleaner 1 inside of the interior ball cavity 31 androtating it to cause the rollers 35 to rotate and thereby “scrub” thesurface of the rollers.

In an especially preferred method according to the present invention, aliquid solvent is also used to help clean the rollers 35. The liquidsolvent is used to help loosen up hardened contaminants, and isopropylalcohol is a preferred solvent. The solvent can be applied to the firstcleaning surface 3 when it is initially inserted into the interior ballcavity 31. Alternatively, the first cleaning surface 3 can be usedinitially without any liquid solvent, then removed from the interiorball cavity 31 and cleaned, and then reinserted into the ball cavity 31after the liquid solvent has been applied to its surface. The liquidsolvent is then removed from the rollers 35 by the second cleaningsurface 23 as it is scrubbing the rollers 35.

The purpose of the first cleaning surface 3 is to remove hair, lint ordust particles, or similar contaminants, from rollers 35 and mechanicalparts 36 inside of the interior ball cavity 31. It has been found that ahook like surface, such as commonly used in a Velcro® fastener, isespecially preferred for this task. Velcro® is a proprietary type ofmaterial that works through the use of two different surfaces that aregenerically referred to as a hook surface and a loop surface. The hooksurface has a large number of small “hooks” that will grab or hook alarge number of loops in the opposite surface to fasten the two surfacestogether. There are many different ways to design a hook surfacematerial, as well as many different grades of such materials availablefrom different suppliers. The important characteristic, however theparticular material is designed, is the mechanical ability to “grab” or“hook” something through a large number of small “hooks” . In the caseof the present invention, it is the “hooks” of the hook surface thatgrab or snare the hair, lint or dust particles and allow suchcontaminants to be removed from inside of the interior ball cavity 31.It is this type of material that is being referred to herein as a “hookmaterial” .

The purpose of the second cleaning surface 23 is to help remove residuefrom the rollers 35 and absorb any cleaning solution used with the firstcleaning surface 3. The second cleaning surface 23 should be abrasive,but not so abrasive that it will be damaging to the rollers. Theabrasiveness of the second cleaning surface 23 helps to polish thesurface of the rollers 35. However, the second cleaning surface 23should not leave any lint or residue on the rollers 35. Finally, thesecond cleaning surface 23 should be absorbent. Such a surface helps topull dirt and contaminants into it, rather than leaving such materialson the surface of the rollers 35. It has been found that Scotch Brite®material is especially useful as the second cleaning surface 23.

The compressible materials 4 and 24 can be a foam, or other compressiblematerials. Although the use of compressible materials 4 and 24 ispreferred, it is not required. The advantage of using such materials isthat the cleaning surfaces 3 and 23 can be made in a shape that has adiameter that is greater than the diameter of the mouse ball, but theywill still clean the rollers 35 and fit snugly against the rollers dueto compression when either cleaning surface is simulating the movementof a mouse ball 32 against the rollers during cleaning. It has beenfound that it is especially preferred to use compressible materials 4and 24 having a thickness of approximately one quarter of an inch.

In addition to cleaning the interior ball cavity 31, the mouse cleaner 1can be used to clean the mouse ball 32. The ball cleaning surface 26should be shaped so as to accommodate a rolling action of a mouse ball32 within the ball cleaning surface 26 as shown in FIG. 4. In its mostpreferred form, the cleaning surface would be shaped so as to maximizethe surface area of the ball cleaning surface 26 that is in contact withthe mouse ball 32, to thereby allow the greatest amount of cleaningaction to take place as the mouse ball 32 is rolled or rotated withinthe ball cleaning surface 26 during cleaning of the mouse ball 32. It isespecially preferred that the ball cleaning surface 26 be made of thesame material, with the same characteristics, as the second cleaningsurface 23.

Accordingly, it will be readily apparent to those skilled in the artthat still further changes and modifications in the actual conceptsdescribed herein can readily be made without departing from the spiritand scope of the invention as defined by the following claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method for cleaning a computer mouse devicewith a computer mouse ball located in the interior ball cavity that hasa plurality of mouse contact rollers and a plurality of mechanicalparts, comprising: removing the computer mouse ball from the interiorball cavity; inserting a cleaning surface of a cleaning device into theinterior ball cavity, the cleaning surface having a diameterapproximately the same as or larger than the diameter of the mouse ball;and rotating the cleaning surface so as to cause one or more of theplurality of mouse contact rollers to roll and thereby be cleaned by thecleaning surface; and cleaning said mouse ball with a generally inwardlycurved mouse ball cleaning surface of said cleaning device.
 2. A methodas recited in claim 1, wherein the cleaning surface is comprised of anabrasive, absorbent material.
 3. A method as recited in claim 1, whereinthe cleaning surface is comprised of a hook material.
 4. A method asrecited in claim 1, comprising the further step of: inserting a secondcleaning surface of a cleaning device into the interior ball cavity thecleaning surface having a diameter approximately the same as or largerthan the diameter of the mouse ball; and rotating the second cleaningsurface so as to cause one or more of the plurality of mouse contactrollers to roll and thereby be cleansed by the second cleaning surface.5. A method as recited in claim 4, wherein the cleaning surface iscomprised of hook material and the second cleaning surface is comprisedof an abrasive, absorbent material.
 6. A method as recited in claim 5,wherein the second cleaning surface is inserted into the interior ballcavity after the cleaning surface has been inserted into the interiorball cavity and rotated so as to cause one or more of the plurality ofmouse contact rollers to roll.
 7. A method as recited in claim 5,comprising the further steps of applying a liquid cleaning solvent tothe cleaning surface before it has been inserted into the interior ballcavity and absorbing the liquid cleaning solvent from one or more of theplurality of mouse contact rollers by the second cleaning surface.
 8. Amethod as recited in claim 1, wherein said generally inwardly curvedmouse ball cleaning surface includes: an abrasive, absorbent material;and the method further includes the step of reinserting the mouse ballinto the interior ball cavity after cleaning the mouse ball.
 9. A methodas recited in claim 1, wherein a portion of said mouse ball cleaningsurface is detachable.
 10. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein saidmouse ball cleaning surface is nested at least partially within saidcleaning surface.
 11. A method for cleaning a computer mouse device witha computer mouse ball located in an interior ball cavity that has aplurality of mouse contact rollers and a plurality of mechanical parts,comprising the steps of: removing the computer mouse ball from theinterior ball cavity; inserting a first cleaning surface of a cleaningdevice into the interior ball cavity and rotating the first cleaningsurface so as to permit removal of contaminants such as hair and dustfrom the plurality of mouse contact rollers and the plurality ofmechanical parts; applying a liquid solvent to the first cleaningsurface; reinserting the first cleaning surface into the interior ballcavity and rotating the first cleaning surface so as to cause the liquidsolvent to come into contact with the plurality of mouse contacts;inserting an abrasive, absorbent cleaning surface of said cleaningdevice into the interior ball cavity and rotating the second cleaningsurface so as to permit absorption of the liquid solvent from theplurality of mouse contacts, and cleaning said mouse ball with agenerally inwardly curved mouse ball cleaning surface of said cleaningdevice.
 12. A method as recited in claim 11, wherein said generallyinwardly curved mouse ball cleaning surface includes: an abrasive,absorbent material; and said method further includes the step ofreinserting the mouse ball into the interior ball cavity after cleaningsaid mouse ball.
 13. A method as recited in claim 12, wherein a portionof said mouse ball cleaning surface is detachable.
 14. A method asrecited in claim 12, wherein said mouse ball cleaning surface is nestedat least partially within said cleaning surface.